A year ago, NBC proudly announced that it was reinventing the broadcast television model by giving Jay Leno a dirt-cheap primetime showcase five nights a week at 10. But the broadcast model (particularly the local network affiliate stations that are a part of it) wasn’t much interested in being reinvented, and the colossal failure of “The Jay Leno Show” meant that NBC had to enter Upfront Week with a fall schedule that looks far more traditional – as well as one with more new shows than usual because of all the holes Jay left when he went back to “The Tonight Show.”

The fall schedule NBC announced today features seven new series, including new shows at 10 on four of the five nights Leno briefly owned. (And the fifth, Tuesday, is occupied by “Parenthood,” which only debuted a few months ago.)

“The thing that we learned from this year is that if you’re going to compete at 10 o’clock, you have to put your best content on,” said NBC CEO Jeff Gaspin, who took over the network after Leno-in-primetime had already started to go south. “There’s too much competition from cable and from DVR’s.”

And counting midseason, NBC will unveil at least 13 new shows, including five comedies and seven dramas, from name-brand producers like JJ Abrams, Jerry Bruckheimer and David E. Kelley. In the process, the network will say goodbye to several marginal ratings performers, most notably the original “Law & Order,” which won’t pass “Gunsmoke” to become the longest-running primetime drama ever, but may get some kind of closure as part of the new “Law & Order: LA” spin-off.

(“Heroes” is also kaput, though there may be a two-hour wrap-up movie.)

The line-up – and my thoughts on it – night-by-night:

MONDAY: After a dramatic fan campaign and 11th-hour renewal last spring, “Chuck” got a relatively stress-free renewal and finds itself the veteran lead-off hitter in its familiar 8 o’clock timeslot, followed by “The Event,” a conspiracy thriller starring Jason Ritter and Blair Underwood, and “Chase,” a Jerry Bruckheimer drama about U.S. Marshals. (It’s a profession that went from underrepresented on TV to arguably overrepresented, between this, “Justified” and “In Plain Sight.”)

On the one hand, I agree with Fienberg that it would be nice to see Chuck air in a different timeslot and/or have a lead-in for once, and so flipping it and “The Event” around might not have been so terrible. On the other, based on the season three ratings for “Chuck” and the huge number of shows greenlit for next year, my guess is that NBC views next year as the end of the line for the Buy More gang, and considers it a schedule placeholder they don’t have to heavily promote, since the “Chuck” audience appears to be the “Chuck” audience.

On the press call, Gaspin suggested “The Event” and “Chase” were big priorities for the network and would be heavily-promoted during football – though, of course, NBC has had football for years and it hasn’t done much more than turn a show like “Chuck” into a cult success.

TUESDAY: The one status quo night: two hours of “Biggest Loser” at 8, followed by “Parenthood” at 10. Makes sense. “Loser” is one of NBC’s few success stories in recent years, and “Parenthood” has done very well against the timeslot competition in the 18-49 demo this spring.

WEDNESDAY: “Undercovers,” a light drama from J.J. Abrams about a pair of married spies (Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw), winds up in the same Wednesday at 8 timeslot where ABC premiered Abrams’ “Lost” back in 2004. This is relatively unclaimed territory (none of the other networks have a ratings standout here), and a good spot for NBC’s highest-profile pick-up.

It’s followed by two hours of “Law & Order” spin-offs, with “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” at 9 (where it lost badly to “Criminal Minds” last fall) and the new, still-to-be-cast “Law & Order: LA” at 10.

On the “SVU” struggles during the Leno era, Gaspin said, “As you recall, the lead-in ‘SVU’ had” – the hospital drama “Mercy,” which was canceled – “did not live up to expectations. Our hope is ‘Undercovers’ will give ‘SVU’ a better lead-in. The best way to launch the new ‘Law & Order’ franchise is behind ‘SVU.’ If we want a shot at the future with ‘Law & Order: LA,” this really was the best way to schedule the 2 shows.”

Though “LOLA,” as the new show is already being dubbed, doesn’t yet have a produced pilot, or even a finished script, NBC entertainment president Angela Bromstad pointed out that none of the “L&O” spin-offs made pilots before they were ordered to series, and said it was still up in the air whether the new show would feature any characters from the mothership or its spin-offs, either as guest stars or even regulars.

THURSDAY: All four of NBC’s current Thursday comedies were renewed, but only three of them will be back in the fall: “Community” at 8, “30 Rock” at 8:30 and “The Office” at 9.

“Parks and Recreation” (which happens to be NBC’s best comedy, and probably the best comedy on TV, period) didn’t take a production hiatus between seasons 2 and 3 so that the series could come back in the fall even with star Amy Poehler’s pregnancy…

…and is being rewarded for that dedication by being held for mid-season.

“That was one of the toughest decisions we had to make,” said Gaspin. “Ultimately, we wanted to get new comedy on our schedule… What we will do is put five or six comedies in the two-hour block, and we expect that ‘Parks and Recreation’ will be back on the schedule on Thursday. It’s not in any way an indiciation that we don’t think it’s as good as the other comedies. We think it’s a terrific comedy, and we did put two new castmembers” – Adam Scott and Rob Lowe – “in as a way to give the audience a new entry point. But we have seen time and time again on cable and see you can wait as much as a year and actually create more anticipation for a series and not lose momentum.”

(Of course, those cable shows that disappear for as much as a year or more are already established hits, whereas “Parks and Rec” is still hanging on, in part because it’s the only one of NBC’s non-“Office” comedies to never air after “The Office.” Gaspin suggested 9:30 was very much in play as a timeslot for when it returns.)

Instead of the Indiana heroes of “Parks and Rec,” the 9:30 timeslot will go to India with “Outsourced,” a new comedy about a Mid-Western executive adjusting when his job is moved halfway across the world. It’s followed at 10 by “Love Bites,” a romantic anthology from “Sex and the City” alum Cindy Chupack, and starring Becki Newton from “Ugly Betty” and Jordana Spiro from “My Boys.”

“The Office” remains NBC’s only real success on the night, and with Steve Carell talking about leaving after this season, the network needs something else to start working.

“Steve is incredibly important to the show,” said Bromstad, “and we hope we can keep him for a long time. Whether or not he stays with ‘The Office,’ it’s a big priority for us to develop a new hit.”

FRIDAY: The Lisa Kudrow-produced “Who Do You Think You Are?,” in which celebrities look for the roots of their family trees, was a solid performer this spring, and will be back at 8 in the fall, followed by the umpteenth year of “Dateline NBC.”

At 10, the timeslot that this past fall belonged to Jay Leno will belong to… Conan O’Brien. Or, at least, Conan O’Brien, producer. Coco’s company is responsible for “Outlaw,” starring Jimmy Smits as a Supreme Court justice who quits the bench to go back to representing the little guy.

A reporter on the call joked, “I guess Conan’s going to be at your upfront, after all” and asked if they had spoken with him directly.

“I haven’t talked to Conan recently,” Bromstad deadpanned, “but I speak to the head of development for his company all the time, and they’re thrilled with the pickup.”

SATURDAY: Lather, rinse, repeats. NBC (like most of the other networks) will give up on Fridays before it gets back into original programming on Saturdays.

SUNDAY: Football in the fall, and “Dateline,” “Minute to Win It” and “Celebrity Apprentice” in the spring.

Other comedies yet to be scheduled include “Perfect Couples” (co-starring Olivia Munn from “Attack of the Show” and Kyle Howard, also of “My Boys,” which has me thinking that show’s dead after its next season airs this summer); “The Paul Reiser Show,” a “Curb”-esque show with the “Mad About You” star playing himself; and”Friends with Benefits” starring Ryan Hansen from “Party Down” (another cable show losing too many castmembers to network series for me to feel good about its future).

The remaining dramas: “The Cape” with David Lyons (an “ER” alum whose “Day One” was originally a midseason series for this past year, then a miniseries, and now something Bromstad says will likely never air) as a cop-turned-superhero and “Harry’s Law,” a David E. Kelley legal show with Kathy Bates (no doubt playing a wacky attorney who loves to talk about why she became a lawyer).

Have you figured out who Alex O’Loughlin is yet? ;-) (old joke, not a fan of Vampires, and not even sure how to spell his name!)

By: AM7

05.16.2010 @ 10:57 PM

I hope you do something like this for the other networks as well.

By: ADKid25

05.16.2010 @ 10:58 PM

So, the NBC execs didn’t even give an excuse of any kind as to why Parks and Rec is being pushed back? Just deciding to ruin what’s worked (relatively speaking) for no reason? Sigh. Terribly disappointing news.

By: conrad

05.16.2010 @ 11:02 PM

i will never forgive leno. still upset that ‘life’ was canceled [in part] because of him.

also…can never watch any l&o spinoffs. was always a fan of the original and i will be stuck watching reruns on fx.

p.s. that’s b.s.

By: LJA

05.16.2010 @ 11:05 PM

I have no idea how I posted a blank comment. Is there any way for me to delete it? If so, I can’t find it.

At any rate, I plan to boycott Outsourced on principle alone. Poor Amy, 7 months pregnant and working her ass off to get 6 episodes on air in Sept and Oct only to find she’s been screwed by NBC. Dan says the Parks crew just got this news YESTERDAY. That’s messed up.

By: ADKid25

05.16.2010 @ 11:06 PM

Half of me wants to boycott Outsourced out of principle, but the other half has to assume that the reason why it’s on in place of Parks and Rec (different timeslot aside) is because it’s equally amazing. Because it HAS to be equally amazing; otherwise, there is no logic to the decision, and we all know how logical network executives are. Sigh.

By: LJA

05.16.2010 @ 11:08 PM

@ADKid25 I haven’t watched the released clips yet, but according to everyone on my Twitter feed who has, Outsourced looks spectacular…ly bad. Your mileage may vary.

By: ADKid25

05.16.2010 @ 11:10 PM

LJA, I’ve heard the same, including from Dan Fienberg. In all honesty, I’m kind of hoping it’s not that terrible, even as I am unable to not wince when thinking of the premise, which seems like it’s full of opportunities for cheap cultural humor.

So, yeah, I have low hopes for the show, but I do need to make a point and watch some of these clips, and see if they’re that bad.

By: pamelajaye

05.16.2010 @ 11:14 PM

Cheap cultural humor – did you ever see Gung Ho, the TV series? (I wouldn’t have but Scott Bakula starred in it) I did, and even I don’t remember a thing. (and I watched it years after it aired in, maybe 1985)

By: LJA

05.16.2010 @ 11:20 PM

@pamelajaye – I’m glad I ran into you here. I remembered you are a Scott Bakula fan from the Men of a Certain Age reviews. My brother happened to golf with Scott last week, said he was very nice and personable, is thrilled that people like Men of a Certain Age and excited for season two, and surprisingly scrawny!

By: Alanna

05.16.2010 @ 11:28 PM

Outsourced is based on an indie movie from a few years ago — you can watch it on Netflix’s streaming feature. It’s a cute movie, though rather slight. Unfortunately, the clips I watched via Twitter links are … bad. Really bad. Too much forced comedy revolving around Indian stereotypes. I’m hoping that the sitcom can retain the movie’s charm (and cultural sensitivity), but I’m not hopeful if those were the best clips they could leak.

By: Lisa

05.17.2010 @ 1:31 AM

Despite displacing my favorite comedy on television, and the disappointing preview clips, I can’t bring myself to wish ill of Outsourced. An Asian-heavy ensemble cast is not exactly common on network TV.

I will say that what I’ve seen of NBC’s schedule for next season is not encouraging overall. It feels like NBC is chasing the successes of a different time. Especially after the surprising success of smart family-oriented fare like Modern Family and Parenthood, NBC’s focus on workplace comedies and the relationship follies of well-to-do twenty-somethings seems like a misfire. If local government and red tape was a possible turn-off for a sitcom, why would people tune in to watch a show about call center being outsourced to India, or a Supreme Court justice going rogue? Paul Reiser’s new show is nowhere to be seen on NBC’s webpage, but all things considered, that’s probably a good thing.

The preview clips for The Event and Undercovers were actually not terrible. As long as Undercovers doesn’t interfere with Ben Schwartz’s appearances as Jean-Ralphio, then I may consider watching it in the fall.

By: pamelajaye

05.18.2010 @ 12:32 AM

LA, how cool! :-)
I am currently watching Scott on Chuck. TV-wise, it’s been a good year for Scott :-)
Thanks for passing that on!

chuck isnt a standalone show, like law and order for dramas or two and a half men for comedy. its the kind of thing you cant just randomly jump in on, so its not going to be a strong syndie performer.

usually 1 hour shows can sell into syndication before 100 eps, thats the magic number for sitcoms.

By: greg brady

05.17.2010 @ 4:36 AM

quality aside, tv is a business.

p&r might very well be the best of the lot of the thursday comedies, thats debatable by each person. what is not is that its the worst performer. its numbers are the lowest.

thats why it got the boot to midseason, combined with the fact that nbc either doesnt want to start another comedy block or it doesnt feel that it has a show good enough (like abc had this fall with modern family) to stand alone and use the the anchor the block, like they have now with the office.

basically, nbc sucks. we know this. but parks really blew its shot when its first season wasnt any good. then, its had no shot to rebound from that because nbc doesnt have any comedies that perform well outside of the office, which it very might well might air after…in january 2011.

By: opal

05.18.2010 @ 4:28 AM

I’ve heard that the 100 episode rule used to be true but is no longer the case. I’m sure Alan can answer for sure.

An example: Arrested Development ran in reruns after cancellation here in Canada.

By: Anonymous

05.16.2010 @ 11:20 PM

I’m wondering if part of the calculus on holding P&R is to allow folks like Mike Schur to work on both P&R and The Office. I’d guess there’s a recognition over at NBC that The Office hasn’t brought the funny as much/as effectively this year, perhaps in part because so many writers went over to Parks. A strong season on The Office sets them up well to either make an attractive offer to Carell to stay or to hand over the boss job to a new character.

I’m wondering if LOLA will incur wrath of long-time Law and Order fans off cancelling the Mothership and sticking it in the slot the Mothership occupied for 16 of its 20 years. (Also, got to assume one of the cops–most likely Sisto–moves over, right?)

By: Alf

05.16.2010 @ 11:27 PM

I’m not sure that theory works, since P&R was already in production while The Office was not, even before this decision.

By: jobert

05.16.2010 @ 11:24 PM

How many episodes before Outsourced gets cancelled?

By: Alf

05.16.2010 @ 11:29 PM

Outsourced sounds like it could be pretty offensive and embarassing.

By: HitFix User

05.17.2010 @ 1:24 AM

Why? I know the usual culture warriors on the right are melting down, but when it comes to “embarrasing and offensive” alleged comedies there’s nothing on the dial to beat ‘Two and a Half Men’. IMNSHO, of course.

By: bybrandy

05.16.2010 @ 11:32 PM

The movie Outsourced was really well done. It was quite funny. But does it work as a series? I don’t know. And is it something people want to watch? Nobody watched the movie.

By: 7s Tim

05.16.2010 @ 11:36 PM

Typo nitpick: this is just the second season of Parks & Rec, and you probably meant to reference it coming back without hiatus between seasons 1 and 2….

and yeah it sucks that it’ll wait until midseason. Show about Indiana being pushed back for show about India…weird.

By: sepinwall

05.16.2010 @ 11:40 PM

No, I mean that they didn’t take a production hiatus between completing season 2 (the one currently airing) and starting on season 3 (the one that now won’t air til mid-season next year).

By: 7s Tim

05.16.2010 @ 11:50 PM

well then ignore that first part. still mean second part.

By: BugKiller

05.16.2010 @ 11:46 PM

Alan,

I know this has nothing to do with anything you wrote here, but I have a question:

Are two of better actors of the the Joss Whedon stable, Enver Gjokaj and Fran Kranz, going to be in anything this upcoming season?

I cannot comprehend how Gjokaj, especially, wouldn’t be involved in either a new show or being added to an existing show (wouldn’t he be perfect as either a helper or foil of Christopher Chance on The Human Target?). The dude is just WAY too talented.

Also, although Sir Whedon has The Avengers to rewrite (thank God, wouldn’t want to sit through another Kal Penn snoozefest) and direct, does he or Mutant Enemy have anything on the burner for the boob tube?

Thanks!

By: BugKiller

05.16.2010 @ 11:48 PM

AHHH!

I of course mean ZAK PENN.

NOT Kumar! Sorry.

By: ADKid25

05.16.2010 @ 11:50 PM

Fran Kranz was actually supposed to be in Friends With Benefits, the show starring Ryan Hansen, but I read on another blog today that he’s being recast. Disappointing, to say the least.

By: Action_Kate

05.17.2010 @ 1:11 PM

Seconding Gjokaj on Human Target — the premise lends itself well to his strength of becoming ANYONE, and making it totally believable. He’d be a great foil for Chance, maybe as someone else from his former boss’s stable, or as an entirely new independent freelancer whose path just annoyingly keeps crossing Chance’s (until it becomes apparent that it’s not coincidence).

Separately, am I the only one bummed that Heroes was officially cancelled? :(

By: HitFix User

05.17.2010 @ 12:23 AM

*sigh* Parks and Rec deserved a little more respect, if for no other reason it pulled off the most dramatic return from the dead since Lazarus — or season three of Lost. :)

The most important question is whether Parks and Rec will still have a 22 ep order.

By: Joe

05.17.2010 @ 1:00 AM

I may be wrong, but I don’t think there was ever an episode count attached to the renewal announcement.

By: BigTed

05.17.2010 @ 12:58 AM

If NBC is saying the new “Parks & Recreation” characters are there to “give the audience a new entry point,” that suggests they think a lot of people don’t get the show. If they view it as one of those high-quality but “quirky” comedies that never builds a big audience, they’re probably waiting to see if the ratings go up, while quietly looking for another sitcom to put in its place.

By the way — a new David E. Kelley legal show? They’re all basically the same, so why bother canceling one just to start up another? (Maybe the network added it to the schedule because Kelley is sure to write in a role for the suddenly hot Betty White.)

By: Maura

05.17.2010 @ 3:37 PM

Geez, the last thing we need is another David E. Kelley show. And I mean ever, through the end of time.

In other news, why does SVU need a lead-in? It’s been on forever, and I imagine its audience is pretty well set. If SVU’s ratings are low enough that NBC thinks it needs a lead-in, maybe they should have canceled that show instead of the mothership.

By: Mac T

05.17.2010 @ 1:02 AM

Wild guess: Benjamin Bratt will play the lead cop on LOLA.

By: katm123

05.17.2010 @ 2:07 AM

Just one question Alan..you called “Chuck” as a placeholder & mentioned the Buy More gang. I’m confused. As a fan of the show, are you saying that season 4 is the final year for the show,(at least how the network sees it), or the last season for the Buy More store(Big Mike, Jeff, & Lester)? Thanks!

By: mrt

05.17.2010 @ 2:10 AM

He’s saying that season 4 will be the end of the road for Chuck, barring a shocking up turn in the ratings.

By: Chrissy

05.17.2010 @ 2:33 AM

Can anyone explain to me the reasoning behind networks programming for the same audience (i.e. Law and Order: SVU and Criminal Minds)? To me, it would make more sense for the networks (especially a losing network) to go for different audiences (put on a romantic comedy against Criminal Minds, for instance) so that you aren’t dealing with a split group of viewers, but that doesn’t seem to be actual practice. Is there a perfectly sensible reason for this that my very uncompetitive self just can’t grasp?

By: Steve B

05.17.2010 @ 3:30 AM

Why does NBC have to have its top 4 comedies on Thursdays? I know they did it that way in their heyday. But at that time, they always had a ratings monster. The Cosby Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, Friends all overlapped. One monster show giving way to the next. The Office never got to that level. It’s been a hit only by current NBC standards.

Yet NBC still holds tight to a model that worked well when there was an event show. There’s no event show anymore. The shows that are on, individually, are pretty good. Some were great for a bit, The Office and 30 Rock are both past their peaks. Some are good/great now, with a bright future (Community and P&R).

I say split them up. They don’t flow very well as it is, so take Community and 30 Rock, and move them to another night. Have P&R on after The Office. If you give each show more room to breathe, I think they’d all do better. Plus, you have people like me that only watch NBC on Mondays for Chuck, and Thursdays for the comedy, and get us to watch on more nights.

I’ve never been to business school, so I’m not sure what they teach, but I’m pretty sure they’d teach you not to stick to a business model proven to be broken for half a decade.

By: Anthony Foglia

05.17.2010 @ 4:14 AM

“Why does NBC have to have its top 4 comedies on Thursday?” For the same reason ABC has their comedies on Tuesday, Fox has theirs on Sunday, and until this year, CBS had all theirs on Monday. It’s easier to build a two hour block of sitcoms than move one or two of those to start another night. And since only of NBC’s comedies is a ratings hit, they don’t have anything they feel is strong enough to start another night. NBC has Thursday just because of tradition.

By: MyTVByMe_Sean

05.17.2010 @ 11:06 AM

By: devomase

05.17.2010 @ 1:25 PM

Does this mean the godawful “Marriage Ref” was canceled or, more unfortunately, it is another mid-season show?

By: Chris

05.17.2010 @ 7:21 PM

Where does this put Friday Night Lights season 5?

By: Rahim

05.17.2010 @ 7:35 PM

Alan, any chance Adam Carolla’s pilot will get picked up?

By: Joe Bowers

05.17.2010 @ 8:27 PM

I know I’m out of step with Alan and most of his readers, but just don’t get all the love for Office, and, especially, Parks and Rec. Office I have found to be kind of funny in some of the earlier shows, but Parka and Rec, I can barely stand the promos….I mean, for both shows, pompous and/or clueless people in positions of minor authority hasn’t been done nearly to death before? And the constant mugging of Poehler and her googly eyes just doesn’t work for me. At all. As a result, I watch Community, which I like pretty well, and then forget to come back to watch 30 Rock, ’cause when P & R comes on, I run from my set, as fast as I can…..

By: isaacl

05.17.2010 @ 11:28 PM

If “My Boys” has indeed come to an end, I’ll miss some of the best hanging out with your friends banter on TV. The material and its delivery by the cast felt so natural while still being a riot.

By: irerancincpkc

05.18.2010 @ 1:54 AM

The way I would have done it, not that it matters… :)

Monday Night – Undercovers at 8, Chuck at 9, Law and Order: LA at 10. Spy Night Done Right, with Law and Order in a 10 PM slot, where they all tend to do better.

Tuesday Night – Biggest Loser at 8 and 9, Law and Order, SVU at 10. Makes no sense to mess with the Biggest Loser, and makes perfect sense to put SVU back where it belongs.

Wenesday Night – The Event at 8, The Cape at 9, Chase at 10. The Event will have a chance to dominate the lackluste Wenesday at 8. Yeah, I moved the Cape up to the Fall. One, I want to see it. :) Two, I think it will do well after The Event. Chase is at 10 because I think it will match up a little better there than Monday at 10.

Thursday Night – Community at 8, 30 Rock at 8:30, The Office at 9, Outsourced at 9:30, Parenthood at 10. Keep the core comedy block, and keep Parenthood where it is. Allow the ratings to grow, if the shows good enough I’m positive they will.

Friday Night – Dateline at 8, Outlaw at 9, Love Bites at 10. Dateline will give Outlaw a lead in, and Love Bites can die at 10, cause I’m pretty sure no matter where you put it, it won’t do well.

Moved Who Do You Think You Are to midseason…

By: irerancincpkc

05.18.2010 @ 1:57 AM

I didn’t explain the Chuck move. I’m with Feinberg on this one. Give it a lead in. I don’t think Undercovers will suffer at all from it, and if Chuck stays at 8, I’m worried this will be the last season. We know the ratings more than likely won’t grow. Give it a quality lead in though, and considering the quality of Chuck I don’t see how it can’t retain them…

By: Fed Up With NBC

09.14.2010 @ 12:14 PM

NBC executives are not only insensitive to millions of unemployed Americans by putting this show on television, they are just plain stupid. Americans have lost their jobs to outsourcing and nothing is funny about it. It’s not funny when you call customer service and the person lies to you about being in New York or Chicago. It’s not funny when you make racist jokes. Efforts are underway to get this show cancelled. What next NBC? A show about sodomizing Nuns? A show about pedophiles who run a candy store? Seriously, how desperate most NBC be for ratings to put this insulting show on the air. Boycott Outsourced…and run the show out of town. WATCH CABLE TELEVISION AND SEND NBC A MESSAGE. Go to Facebook and sign the petition to get this show yanked off the air, today.